The following lists the sessions which occured at the 2014 SFI Annual Conference in Montreal. Below you will find PowerPoints to various presentations where we have permission to do so.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Delegates will be welcomed to the conference and to the Province of Québec, and receive an update on the latest progress and future opportunities for the SFI program.

Speakers:

Kathy Abusow, SFI Inc. President and CEO, provides and update and review of 2014 SFI accomplishments.

Larry Selzer, President and CEO, The Conservation Fund and SFI Inc. Board Chairman, will discuss the conservation opportunities arising from the SFI certification footprint and beyond.

Elder Andrew Deslisle, former Chief of Kahnawake, will provide an Aboriginal welcome. Andrew has led a number of organizations, including being the Chief and then Grand Chief of Mohawks of Kahnawake. He aided in the formation of the National Indian Council which is now Canada’s Assembly of First Nations and formed and became the President of the Indians of Quebec Association now the AFNQL.

3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Economic, Social and Ecological Drivers of Change in Forested Landscapes

Leaders from a variety of partner organizations will discuss human and ecological drivers in forested landscapes – how do managed forests contribute to the critical needs of society and the environment? Topics will range from market drivers for longleaf pine restoration, to the importance of private lands in providing ecosystem services, the responsibility of forest managers to engage minority landowners, and the importance of ensuring resiliency in the face of climate change and changing land use.

Speakers:

Robert Abernerthy, Executive Director, Longleaf Alliance - the success of longleaf restoration and how it exemplifies the potential for cooperative conservation between NGOs, agencies and the forest product sector.

Dr. Mark Anderson, Director of Conservation Science The Nature Conservancy Northeast Region - will address the importance of forest legacies in managed forests and their impact on forest health at a landscape and regional scale.

John Lounds, President and CEO The Nature Conservancy of Canada - will discuss NCC’s ambitious five-year program with funding from the Government of Canada to conserve additional lands across Canada. John will speak to the role of forests in this conservation program.

Carlton Owen, President and CEO, US Endowment for Forestry and Communities - community and conservation initiatives and how an SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant is supporting engagement with African American landowners.

4:30 - p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

President's Reception

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Open Discussion with the SFI Board of Directors

Hear from our Board of Directors on a variety of topics, including thoughts and perspectives on what standing for Future Forests means for the SFI program.

Panel Members:

Anne Giardini, Officer and Director, Weyerhaeuser Company Ltd.

James (Jim) Hannan, CEO and President, Georgia-Pacific LLC

Mark Rodgers, COO, Habitat for Humanity Canada

Greg Siekaniec, CEO, Ducks Unlimited Canada

10:15 - 10:45 a.m.

Break

10:45 - 12:15 p.m.

Brandowners in a Global Marketplace

Learn about solutions from NGOs, companies, and coalitions to address global challenges, like illegal logging and deforestation.

James Griffiths, Former Director, Forest Solutions Group of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development - opportunities and challenges facing brand owners in a global market place and WBCSD's commitment to grow certification through the value chain.

Hans Wegner, Former Chief Sustainability Officer, National Geographic Society, shares insights on over four decades of experience working at the Society. Hear how National Geographic reduced its environmental impact across the organization. Hans will also share the latest news on the SFI Forest Partners® Program.

Robert Bonnie, U.S. Undersecretary of Agriculture – Robert highlights recent U.S. government actions related to sustainable forest management, including the 2014 Farm Bill, which provides significant investments in forest conservation and assistance to landowners for stewardship practices, and the President’s Climate Action Plan, which is fostering opportunities for forests to play a role in mitigating climate change. Hear how public-private partnerships are thriving and advancing sustainable forest management.

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Key Note Speaker Joel Sartore

Find out what it takes to make the cover of National Geographic. Joel Sartore's work as a photographer for National Geographic has spanned every continent and involved a lifetime of close encounters. Joel has flown in a plane that went into a tailspin, dodged a charging Muskox, and convinced a polar bear not to hitch a ride in his pickup. But that's just part of his human highlight reel. Hear Joel's stories come to life in the award-winning pictures that have inspired people around the world to understand that when we save a species we are actually saving ourselves.

4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Break

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

SFI Annual Reception and Dinner

Enjoy an evening in historic Old Montreal with old world charm, chic dining and Quebecois entertainment.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Networking Breakfast

9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Aboriginal and Tribal Business Relations

Nearly 7 million acres of lands owned by or managed for indigenous communities are certified to the SFI Standard. Hear leading Aboriginal and Tribal business relations experts, from Canada and the US, explore relationship building on issues from certified forests to green building.

Speakers:

JP Gladu, President & CEO , Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, will speak to the successes of Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) and the importance of engaging aboriginal people in the forest sector.

Andrew de Vries, VP Conservation & Indigenous Relations for SFI, will provide an overview of the aboriginal and tribal partnerships that SFI fosters through lands certified to the SFI Standard and community partnerships including SFI Community and Conservation Grants, Habitat for Humanity Canada, and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

The SFI 2015-2019 Standard launches in January 2015 but you can get a sneak peak of the draft requirements. The session, led by the SFI Standard Revision Steering Committee and SFI Staff, will walk you through the major enhancements.